Cheating: a response to college pressures By Robert Clark "I've cheated too many times to "Usually, I don't feel too bad assignments are hard to cheat on in Cheaters never prosper or do count. But I don't cheat as a rule, about it. It's not like the worst thing terms of copying. But what I they? only when I don't know the answer. you can do, you know. Besides, most sometimes do get is plagiarism. I've people do it." During each student's college Usually,! just look at someone else's even had students plagiarize stuff career, he or she often has to con- I've written and handed out in class. paper. But I've always felt guilty for One 22-year-old business tend with the pressures and ad- it. ministration senior claims demands of various grading he has "Part of the problem is that I never cheated. systems. One way many students "It's easy, actually. You can't don't think students here know what plagiarism is: you're not supposed meet these pressures and demands get caught. I've never heard of "I think most of the older to copy other peoples' work and not is by cheating. anybody getting caught, and students don't cheat," he said. credit them. chances are you won't." "Most of them know what they want One 21 -year -old SJSU and they're here to learn. On term believes cheating Another self-professed cheater, "Actually, I don't worry about aeronautics junior papers, though, a 22-year-old cheating is cheating; it doesn't hurt anybody is sometimes justified. political science epidemic." senior, said cheating is necessary. but the cheater, really. I don't grade on the curve. "There is too much emphasis on Terry Christensen, associate "You've got to do getting a good grade," he said. it if you're professor of political science, said he "If students want to cheat, going to make it," she "You're screwed if you don't get said. doesn't think there is "a lot of they'll cheat. If they learn while good grades. Actually, the grading "Especially if the teacher grades on cheating" in his courses. they're cheating, OK. If they don't system impedes the learning a curve. I cheat a lot not like all the learn, they're the losers." process. time, but whenever I need to. "There are cases," he said. "My (Continued on Page 91 Spartan Daily Volume 70, Number 44 Serving the San Jose State Community Since 1934 Wednesday, April 12, 1978 SJSU response to GE revision spurs postponement of formal presentation By Marcene Fehrman Diane Conradson, natural science Conradson denied the delay had "What was presented at the Reactions to a proposed revamp professor and one of seven on the GE anything to do with Bunzel's open hearing was a framework and of SJSU's general education committee. "The delay will give us resignation and the idea that the not a finished product," she said. "It requirements have flooded the time to review and consider them." next SJSU president will be the one was not gospel." No review until June Academic Senate's GE committee to finally approve the proposal. and forced postponement of a formal The proposed changes would She said little more will be done Implementation of the plan was presentation until October. add 14 units of required GE courses on the GE proposal this semester. to both lower and upper divisions. set for fall 1979, but Conradson for affirmative action; "Due to a great deal of com- thinks the committee was "possibly On specific issues of the plan, mentary on the proposal, the The plan emphasized too ambitious" to have expected a Conradson said "There are committee has not found it possible establishing interdisciplinary total changeover by then. problems with licensing report in committee to complete its review," said courses, improving students' She believes some in- requirements of professional Academic Vice President Hobert reading and writing skills and terdisciplinary courses and other programs like engineering and The SJSU Academic Senate has accompanying cover letter that Burns last week. broadening learning in the GE aspects of the plan could be un- nursing that are being considered." referred the university's annual "more needs to be done to ensure the curricula. derway by then, in spite of the delay. affirmative action report to com- accuracy, completeness and utility Burns also said the California The plan suggests that a basic According to the original Conradson said that since skills mittee, but some senate members of the data" contained in the report State University and Colleges the exam be given to all incoming schedule, the Academic Senate February open hearing say a comprehensive review will not compiled by University Affirmative system is preparing a proposal to be where students. should have concluded debate on the campus reaction to the proposal be made before June. Action Officer Steve Faustina. issued in June which, he said, could was "When students pass the affect SJSU's plan. GE revamp by April 3 and for- invited, the committee has met with exam," Conradson said, "they "I doubt if the Affirmative The report is the first of a series warded its findings to SJSU representatives from SJSU schools receive credit for the GE Action Committee will have ample of annual affirmative action reports "We have gotten comments President John Bunzel for his and departments and individuals requirements and must take no filler time to make a substantial review of that are required to be released from literally everybody," said consideration. and reviewed their comments. MUMS." the report this semester," said publicly according to the SJSU af- Academic Senate secretary Lucille firamtive action plan adopted in Vattimo, adding that the length of June 1975. Doesn't want to 'monopolize' position the report will cause further delay. The senate will distribute copies The committee has been of the report to all accademic deans, charged with reviewing the two-and- department chairpersons, and a-half inch thick document and senate members. Wright won't run for a second term recommending policy changes or procedures to the senate. Copies will also be made available in the campus affirmative Steve Wright won't be seeking a "I also don't think someone in Spartan Shops in fall 1975, and was The report, summarizing action office some time this month. second term as A.S. president, but this position should monopolize it," editor-in-chief of the Daily during SJSU's status on affirmative action he still may be lobbying for the he said. the spring 1976 semester. for 1975-76, indicates that the Affirmative action requires non- students of SJSU at the statewide discrimination in hiring practices university has not achieved specific level. Wright said "his most eager During the academic year of and active recruitment of minorities affirmative action goals in the initial prospect" for the future is applying 1976-77, he was A.S. public in- and women in staff and faculty "The main reason I'm not hiring and promoting of regular for the job of a full-time year-round formation officer before becoming positions where they are under- running is because I think there are academic faculty. lobbyist in Sacramento. A.S. president this past year. represented, according to federal competent and fully knowledgeable Upon release of people to succeed," Wright He said he would be working for the report, SJSU Department of Health, Education said. He described the office of A.S. President John His term the California State University and Bunzel stated in an md Welfare guidelines. expires June 30. president as "the last step" in terms Colleges Student Presidents of his political involvement with Association, lobbying for student SJSU, and said he doesn't see needs throughout the system. anywhere else to go from there. A.S. candidates' debate is cancelled Wright , 25, said he has had Wright has no many unique experiences that have immediate plans to continue A debate between candidates for A.S. office in this Ryan said the debate will be rescheduled. "opened up my eyes to a whole new school. By May he will have completed the year's election, scheduled for noon today on the S.U. "We're trying to get that together right now," she world...of the politics of education." requirements for degrees in upper pad, has been cancelled. said. "We're trying to find a time that will encompass journalism and political science According to A.S. Executive Assistant Robert everybody." He said "different techniques, and said he is looking forward Crawford-Drobot, the debate conflicted with activities The Other 90 Percent last week challenged Ryan and different emphases and different to applying some of the knowledge he being held by the Women's Center. the other SIP candidates to a debate in what they called an approaches" to the office of A.S. Steve Wright has learned in a encouraged as ''freer spirit" than exists A.S. Treasurer Maryanne Ryan, a Student In- attempt to spur government "sensitivity and ac- president should be in the much as enclosed world at dependent Party candidate for the A.S. presidency, said countability." possible. the time he has served in various SJSU. members of the Other 90 Percent party are attending the SIP accepted the challenge and agreed to debates that Wright said he has had "plenty official roles at SJSU. "And besides, I'm getting kind Women's Center activities and would have been unable to were to be held today and April 18.